Annual ANZAC Service - 17th April 2011

Cannock Chase was the location of one of the several giant training camps established in the Great War.  By the end of the war, it had become the size of a small town, comprising, in addition to the hutted accomodation shops, NAAFIs, workshops, a cinema, a hospital, and even its own railway.

One of the colonial regiments which made their "home" there throughout the war was the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, and the CWGC cemetry on the Chase is the final resting place of many New Zealanders, as well as other UK and overseas soldiers.

 

The West Midlands Branch of the Military Historical Society re-established the annual ANZAC Day service at the CWGC cemetry on Cannock Chase in the 1970s, and remains involved each year.  The organisation of the event was taken up by the local Royal British Legion, and has continued to take place on the Sunday closest to ANZAC Day (25 April) up to the present time.

It is always well attended by local people and organisations, ex-service men and women, as well as representatives from the New Zealand and Australian High Commissions. This year 2010 it is 95 years to the day when the ANZAC's landed on the beaches in WW1.

 

The parade marches to the cemetery past the Lord Lieutentant James Hawley representatives from both New Zealand and Australia, civic dignitries from all over Staffordshire & The West Midlands lead by Watchman V and his handler C/Sgt Greg Hedges 4th Battalion The Mercian Regiment

 

The Standards move into the cemeterY.

 

Members of various Old Comrades Associations and the Royal British Legion together with the Navy, RM Cadets and Legion of Frontiersmen march to the cemetery.

 

The opening address by the RBL welcoming everyone to the service.

 

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Janet Elson a New Zealander by birth and MHS branch member reads the Exhortation.

They gave their lives - for that public gift
They receive a praise which never ages,
And a tomb most glorious -
Not so much a tomb in which they lie,
But that in which their fame survives,
To be remembered forever, when the occasion arises
For word or deed: The ANZACS

 

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The Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire James Hawley lay the first wreath

 

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The service having concluded in the cemetery Watchman V  and Colour Sgt Greg Hedges lead the Standards out.

 

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It has become a bit of a tradition over the years that Janet Elson has her photograph taken with the Military representatives of the Australian and  NZDF who attends the service.
The MHS West Midlands Branch would like to thank the Royal British Legion for the organisation of the service and we look forward to seeing even larger numbers of people attending next years service in 2011. In the photograph Jeanette Bennett Lt Col Paul McKay Australian Artillery and Janet Elson

 

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Mr Taha MacPhearson Counsellor of The New Zealand High Commission with Janet Elson

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Jeanette Bennette Lt Commander Alaistair McHaffie NZ Navy and Janet Elson